Electric washing machine



April 6, 1943. B. A. BENSON ELECTRIC WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 13, 19392 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Ber/$507 5 Q. 36%

A ORNEYfi April 6, 1943. B. A. BENSON ELECTRIC WASHING MACHINE FiledOct. 13 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m mw 1 %.Q Q QM- WM W N w m uL m H M NQNQm.

1 .IIIIIIIIIII IIII I/lff/ Patented Apr. 6, 1943 I UNITED STATES PATENTOFFiCE merino $252; moms Bernhart A.

Chicago Benson, Chicago, Electric Manufacturing 111., assignor toCompany,

Chicago. 111., a corporation of Illinois Application October 13, 1939,Serial No. 299,339

13 Claims.

This invention relates to a washing machine of the portable type drivenby an electric motor. It is an object of this invention to provide acompact, inexpensive, portable washing machine embodying a simple,self-lubricating and noiseless driving mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide a washing machine inwhich a substantial or major portion of the driving mechanism isautomatically lubricated by the washing medium, 1. e., soapy water, andthe leakage of oils and greases into the washing chamber is entirelyprevented.

The invention further contemplates the provision of a portable washingmachine in which the motor and the mechanism driven by the motor foroperating the impeller are mounted upon the cover, which'cover formspart of a motor and mechanism housing that is sell-supporting wheninverted to facilitate the charging and discharging of the container andthe storage of the machine when not in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide Another object of theinvention is to provide in a portable washing machine, wherein the motorand the impeller drive mechanism are mounted in a housing above thewashing chamber, means for preventing an accumulation of washing mediumin such housingand without the use of packing means, glands or the like.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the following description when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a view in perspective of a washing machine embodying theinvention; I

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially along theline 22 of Fig. 1;

' Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken substantiallyalong the line 3-3 of Fig.

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of a breather cap which forms parts ofthe washing machine;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken substantially along theline 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical section takensubstantially along the line i-B of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken along theline 1-1 of Fig. 2.

As shown in the drawings, one embodiment of the invention comprises acontainer, vessel or pot 2, an impeller or agitator 4, a motor 6, atransmission mechanism 8, a cover II! which cooperates with a hood I2 toform a housing for the motor I and transmission mechanism 8, and handlesl4 and ii for the container and cover respectively.

The upstanding wall it of the container is preferably cylindrical inconfiguration and at its upper edge is turned outwardly or rolled toprovide a peripheral annular bead 20. The agitator or impeller 4comprises an inverted cup-shaped or hemispherical member 22 secured tothe lower end of a slide rod 24 as by a cap screw 28, and [the loweredge 01' the member 22 is bent upwardly upon itself as at 28 to providea smooth or rolled edge which will not damage the articles in thecontainer as the member 22 is rapidly reciprocated.

The motor 8 is mounted upon the upstanding portion 30 of a casting 32which also carries the driving mechanism 8. The shaft 34 or the motorcarries at one end a fan 3', preferably of a cage type, which cooperateswith slots 31 in the hood to circulate air through the hood, across thecover, the operating mechanism and the motor. The other end of the shaft34 i rotatably supported in a bearing provided in the upstanding portion30 of the casting 32 and has secured thereto or formed thereon a worm 38which meshes with a worm-wheel 40 forming part of the transmission drivemechanism 8. The wormwheel 40 is secured to one end of a shaft 42Journalled in a boss 44 formed integrally with and surmounting theupstanding portion of the casting 32. A crank 46 is secured to the otherend 01' the shaft 34 and has a pivot connection 48 with a link or pitman50 which in turn has a pivot connection 52 with the arm 54 of a gearsegment 56.

The pivot connections 48 and 52 each comprise a boss so formed on an endof the link 50 and apertured to receive a pivot stud secured to thecrank 46, or the arm 54, as by upsetting the inner end 62 of the pivotstud. At the outer edge the boss 58 is provided with an enlarged openingre ceiving a lubricating washer 64 of felt or similar material embracingthe stud 60. The link is retained against axial movement on the stud,and the Washer 64 held in position, by a plate or washer 66 held on theend of the stud by the cap screw 68. A radial opening or notch 10 at theouter 2 edge of the boss 58 permits the lubricating of the washer 84.

The gear segment 58 is provided with an axially extending boss 12rotatably received in an apertured boss I4 formed in the casting 32, thesegment being journalled on a headed stud 16 passing through the boss14, provided with a positioning shoulder TI, to prevent clamping of thestud to the casting 32, and secured by the nut 18. Lubricating washers19, of felt or similar material, provide lubrication for the stud l8 andboss 12.

The gear teeth of the segment 58 mesh with a rack 80 formed in the upperend of the slide rod 24. The combined slide rod 24 and rack 80 areslidably supported in and guided by a cylindrical bushing 82 formedintegrally with the casting 32, the bushing 82 extending through anopening disposed on the coincident axis of the cover and container.

On one side the bushing 82 is cut away or apertured as at 84 to permitthe segment to pass therethrough and the teeth thereof to engage theteeth of the rack. The casting 32 is provided with a horizontallydirected flange portion 86 receiving rivets or similar fastening means88 by which the casting is secured to the cover I0.

Beneath the segment 58, the flange portion 86 is extended horizontallyto provide a catch basin 89 and the bushing 82 above this basinprovidlesa lip 90. Extending outwardly from this lip 90, the catch basin 89 isprovided with a drain trough 9| communicating, at a point adjacent thebushing 82, with a vertical opening 92 receiving a small tube 94 closedat its lower end by an integrally formed cap piece 98, but provided witha radial opening 88-above the cap piece 98. The tube 94 may, however, beformed integrally with the casting 32.

Below the teeth of the rack 80, the slide rod is provided with a notchor recess I (Fig. 6) which extends below the upper edge of the lip 80when the slide bar reaches its upper limit of movement as shown in saidfigure. During operation, as the impeller or agitator 22 is reciprocatedin the washing medium, which is generally soapy water, the surface ofthe slide rod beneath the "bushing is wetted by this soapy water that iscarried upwardly as a film on the rod into the bushing 82 and thusitlubricates the inner surface of this bushing. The rack teeth as shown atI02 in Figure 7, are provided with arcuate edges conforming to the innerwall surface of the bushing 82 so that as the rack moves up and down inthe bushing, a lubricating film of soapy water is picked up by the rackteeth and hence serves to lubricate the intermeshing teeth of the rackand segment, insuring noiseless operation of these intermeshing gearelements. Further, as the slide rod reciprocates, a supply of the soapywater 1ubricant collects in the notch or recess I00. This supply of suchlubricant automatically tends to maintain the surface of the bushingproperly in bricated. When an excess amount of soapy water lubricantcollects in the notch I00, the surface thereof will-be brought above theupper edge of the lip 90 when the slide bar reaches its upper limit ofmovement, and hence this excess amount trickles downwardly out of thenotch over the bevelled surface I04 of the lip 90, or is thrown over thelip 90 into the catch basin 88 from which it drains through the opening92 into the tube 94, in the bottom of which tube the water accumulatesand finally drops back into the container.

The tube 94 in the form of the invention shown, or the opening in thesupport casting when this soapy tube is formed integrally-with thecasting, pro vides means for returning excess amounts of water to thecontainer from the bushing and the slide rod lubricated by the soapywater.

It is of course apparent that the invention is not restricted to the useof soapy water for such lubricating purposes, for any washing mediumnormally employed in awashing machine will act in the same manner tolubricate these parts and the catch basin 89 and tube 84 will similarlyreturn any excess amounts of such washing medium to the container fromthe bushing and the slide rod after they have been lubricated by suchmedium.

The upper portion of thebushing 82 is beveled on the inside as at I08 tocatch the water brought up by the rack-rods and to allow the water torun back into the container or tub through the bush- An invertedcup-shaped member H0 is secured as by a screw I I2 to the upper somewhatreduced end of the combined slide rod 24and rack bar 80, the cup-shapedmember being of an internal diameter substantially larger than thereduced end of said bar. This cup-shaped member prevents the soapy waterfrom being sprayed or thrown off of the upper end of the rack bar as thesame reciprocates, and also serves to cause the excess film at the upperend of the rod to collect into a, droplet which gravitates down thesurface of the rack bar until it collects in the upper beveled portionI08 of the bushing 82 and is thence returned to the bushing throughwhich it may return to the tub or from which it may be re-distributed asa lubricating film upon the rack-rod.

The cover I0 comprises a generally disc-shaped,

preferably sheet metal member having a centrally, upwardly centralsection opening bowl-shaped or concave II2, oppositely inclined annularsections or flanges H4 and H8, an outwardly di- H8 and curved sectionsthe bowl 2 to the inthe inclined section II4 rected peripheral flangeI20 and I22 connecting clined section H4 and to the oppositely inclinedsection IIB. The outwardly directed peripheral flange I I8 overlies thebead 20 of the container and is embraced by an annular strip I24 of asuitable resilient and frictional material, such as soft rubber orrubberlike substance. The annular strip I24 is provided with an annulardepending skirt portion I28 extending along the outer surface of theinclined section 8- of the cover. The resilience of the strip may beemployed to secure it to the peripheral flange H8 and the inclinedsection H8, or if desired, the strip may be adhesively bound to theseportions of the cover. Below the depending skirt portion I28, theresilient strip is formed with an outwardly extending section I28 whichis adapted to engage the inner surface of the upstanding wall I8 of thecontainer and to be forced by the frictional engagement of the sectionI28 with the container and the weight of the cover and operatingmechanism into the upwardly facing concave position in which the sectionI28 is placed under suflicient compressive forces to effect atight-fitting seal between the cover and the container.

The hood I2 which cooperates with the central section I I2 of the coverto form a housing for the motor 8 and operating mechanism 8, comprisesan inverted bowl having a flat upper wall portion I30 and a generallycylindrical side wall I32, the lower edge of which side wall flaresoutwardly as at I34 to seat-upon the curved section I20 of the cover sothat the cover rigidifies the hood.

why. These pins .iace upon which the cover may be placed when through-anopening cess washing medium through Pins 'or buttons 136' of rubber orlike substance are secured to and project above the top wall I so as toform feet for supporting, through the lpcd, the cover and the mechanismcan'ied there- I36 prevent abrading oi the surinverted, Spring stripsI38, secured to the hood as by screws I40, depend from the hood andengage 'the innersurface of the bowl-shaped section II2 to preventrelative vibration of the hood and cover. a The handle means It for thecontainer preferably comprises a pair of handles I42 of inverted L-shapein vertical section, but arcuate in form to conform to the container towhich it is secured as by fastening means I passing through the wall I8oi the container and received in the.

ends of the depending flange of the handle.

1 The handle means I6 for the cover comprises a pair of verticallydisposed handles I" extending at their lower ends between the oppositelyinclined flange sections I I4 and H6 of the cover and beingsecured tothe cover as by fastening means I48 passing through the flange sectionH4 01' the cover and into the lower ends of the handle. At their upperends the handles I 48 terminate adjacent the top fiat section I30 of thehood I! and are secured to the hood as by fastening means I 50 passingthrough the curved section of the hood between the upper horizontalportion I 30 and the cylindrical vertical wall means penetrating intothe upper end of the handle. It will be seen that the bandies I46 notonly provide convenient means for lifting the cover with its attachedmechanism from the container, but also provide means rigidiiying thesheet metal cover and hood and tending to prevent relative lateralmovement of these members.

As the agitator or impeller reclprocates in the washing medium, thecontainer above the washing medium increases and decreases. As thepressure increases, a considerable amount of the washing medium tends tobecome forced bythe increased pressure through the bushing into thecover titles that its return through the tube 94 would i not beinsured.Applicant has found that this tendency may be overcome by providing atsuitably spaced points in the cover, as for example inthe flange sectionII I of the cover, breather caps I 52, each of which preferablycomprises a cap I 54 of generally hemispherical shape and provided withdepending lugs I58 passing or openings I58 in the flange section I. Thefree ends of the lugs are turned outwardly as at ISO to limit theoutward movement of the breather devices. Therefore as the pressure ofthe air in the container above the washing medium increases, thebreather devices are moved outwardly to uncover the opening or openingsI58, which action neutralizes the increased pressure and preventspumping of exthe bushing and into the cover so that the amount ofwashing medium carried into the cover for lubricating purposes is keptto the desired quantity and slightly excess amounts may be easilyreturned to the container by the tube 94.

It will be seen from the above description that applicant has provided acompact, inexpensive, portable washing machine embodying a simple,sell-lubricating and noiseless driving mechanism.

Applicant has further provided a. washing machine in which a substantialor major portion and the leakage of oils and greases into the washingchamber is entirely prevented.

Applicant has further provided a portable in which the motor and themechanism driven by the motor for operating the impeller are mountedupon the cover, which cover forms part of a motor and mechanism housingthat is self-supporting when inverted to facilitate the charging anddischarging of the container and the storage of the machine when not inuse. g

The present invention has also provided a portable washing machinehaving a motor and mechanism housing of wherein certain of the mechanismin such housing is lubricated by the washing medium extracted from thewashing chamber and wherein means are provided for returning an excessof the medium into the washing chamber.

The invention the impeller drive mechanism are mounted in a housingabove the washing chamber, means for preventing an accumulation ofwashing medium in such packing means, glands or the like.

Changes may be made in the form, arrangement and construction of theinvention without departing from its spirit or scope or sacrificing anyof its attendant advantages, and the right make all such changes asfairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. In a washing machine of the vertical reciprocating agitator type, adrive mechanism dispressure of the air in the in such quanposed in ahousing and comprising a vertically reciprocable agitator operating rodpassing through a bushing in the said housing, a suction cup agitatormounted on the rod and extending into a closed washing vessel means forvertically longitudinally reciprocating said rod, said bushingcompletely circumferentially embracing the rod, said rod being operativein moving to carry Washing liquid along the bushing, a catch basin inthe housing adjacent one side of the bushing and below the upperperipheral margin of the bushing, means on the upper peripheral marginmedium from the catch basin into the washing vessel. r

2. In a washing machine of the vertical reciprocating agitator type, adrive mechanism disposed in vertically longitudinally reciprocating saidrod, said bushing completely circumferentially embracing the rod, saidrod having a series of exially disposed medium from th 3. In a washingwhich the cover forms a part,

has further provided in a port-- able washing machine, wherein the motorand.

housing and without the use of rocating agitator type, a drive mechanismdisposed in a housing and comprising a vertically reciprocable agitatoroperating rod passing through a bushing in the said housing, means forvertically longitudinally reciprocating said rod, said bushingcompletely circumferentially embracing the rod, said rod having a seriesof axially disposed rack teeth on one side thereof sectionallycomplementary to the inner surface of said bushing, and said means forreciprocating the rod comprising an angularly shiftable gear member inlntermeshing engagement with the rack teeth, said rod being operative inmoving to carry washing liquid along the bushing, a catch basin in thehousing adjacent one sid of the bushing and below the upper peripheralmar gin of the bushing, means on the upper peripheral margin forming thedrain communicating with the catch basin, and means for draining excesswashing medium from the catch basin.

4. In a washing machine of the vertical reciprocating agitator type, adrive mechanism disposed in a housing and comprising a verticallyreciprocable agitator operating rod passing through a bushing in thesaid housing, means for vertically longitudinally reciprocating saidrod, said bushing completely circumferentially embracing the rod, saidrod having a series of axially disposed rack teeth on one side thereof,and said means for reciprocating the rod comprising an angularlyshiftable gear member in lntermeshing engagement with the rack teeth,said rod being operative in moving to carry washing liquid along thebushing, a catch basin in the housing adjacent one side of th bushingand below the upper peripheral margin of the bushing, means on the upperperipheral margin forming the drain communicating with the catch basin,and means for draining excess washing medium from the catch basin, saidcatch basin and said first named drain being disposed laterally of saidbushing opposite said rack.

5. In a washing machine, a container, a bodily removable cover, anagitator, an operating mechanism therefor carried by said cover, saidagitator comprising a reciprocable rod slidably mounted in a guidesleeve carried by the cover and passing through the cover and a suctioncup mounted upon said rod and extending into said container, means forsealing the cover to the container, the agitator rod in reciprocatingcarrying a film of surface thereof and into the cover tolubricate therod in its guide, and breather means above the level of the washingmedium in the container to neutralize the change in pressure of the airabove the washing medium as the agitator rod reciprocates, whereby tolimit the carryingoi washing medium through the cover by the agitatorrod, said breather means comprising a valve normally closed but operableto open at pressures greater than atmospheric within the container forlimiting passage of fluid along the rod. 1

6. In awashing machine, a container, a cover, a vertically reciprocableagitator carried by and extending through said cover, a bearing guidesleeve in which the agitator reciprocates, said sleeve being carried bythe cover, operating mechanism carried by said cover on the upper sidethereof for reciprocating said agitator longitudinally of the sleeve,and air release means above the level of the washing medium in thecontainer and adapted to open at a predetermined pressure aboveatmospheric for limiting the carrying of washing medium by the agitatorfrom the container through the cover.

the washing medium along the '7. In a washing machine of the verticalrceiprocating agitator type, a drive mechanism disposed in a housing andcomprising a vertically reciprocable agitator operating rod passingthrough a bushing in the said housing, means for verticallylongitudinally reciprocating said rod. said bushing completelycircumferentially embracing the rod, said rod having a series of axiallydisposed rack teeth on one side thereof, and said means forreciprocating the rod comprising an angularly shiftable gear member inlntermeshing engagement with the rack teeth, said rod being operative inmoving to carry washing liquid along the bushing, a catch basin in thehousing adjacent one side of the bushing and below the upper peripheralmargin of the bushing, means on the upper peripheral margin forming thedrain communicating with the catch basin, and means for draining excesswashing medium from the catch basin, said catch basin and said firstnamed drain being disposed laterally of said bushing opposite'said rack,and said angularly shiftabl gear being operated in a path including saidcatch basin.

8. In a washing machine of the vertical reciprocating agitator type, adrive mechanism disposed in a housing and comprising a verticallyreciprocable agitator operating rod passing through a bushing in thesaid housing, means for vertically longitudinally reciprocating saidrod, said rod having a series of axially disposed rack teeth on one sidethereof, and said means for reciprocating the rod comprising anangularly shiftable gear member in lntermeshing engagement with the rackteeth, said rod being operative in moving to carry washing liquid alongthe bushing, a catch basin in the housing adjacent one side of thebushing and below the upper peripheral margin of the bushing, means onthe upper peripheral margin forming the drain communicating with thecatch basin, and means for draining excess washing medium from the catchbasin, a longitudinally extending recess in said shaft below thelowermost extremity of said rack, said recess terminating just below thesaid first named drain when the rod is in uppermost position and saidrod below said recess being complementarily received in said bushing forcreating a wash liquid retaining pocket, the recess being disposedcircumferentially on the same side as said drain,

9. In a washing machine of the vertically reciprocating agitator type, adrive mechanism comprising a housing and a vertically reciprocableagitator operating rod passing through a bushing in said housing, saidbushing being circumferentially uninterrupted and circumferentiallyembracing said rod, means for vertically longitudinally reciprocatingsaid rod and comprising an angularly movable gear member in intermeshingengagement with rack teeth on said rod, said rod being operative inmoving to carry washing liquid upwardly through said bushing, a catchbasin disposed adjacent said bushing below the upper periphery thereof,and being located to receive the periphery of said angularly shiftablgear in at least one operative position, means forming a drain betweenthe upper peripheral margin of said bushing and said catch basin, andconduit means for draining excess washing medium from the catch basin.

10. In a washing machine of the vertical reciprocating agitator type, adrive mechanism disposed in a housing and comprising a verticallyreciprocable agitator operating rod passing through a bushing in thesaid housing, means for vertically longitudinally reciprocating saidrod, said bushing completely circumterentially embracing the rod, saidrod being operative in moving to carry washing liquid along the bushing,a catch basin in the housing adjacent one side of the bushing and belowthe upper peripheral margin or the bushing, means on the upperperipheralmargin forming the drain communicating with the catch basin, and meansfor draining excess washing medium from the catch basin, and meanspreventing washing liquid from being mechanically projected from theupper extremity of said rod comprising a flange extending radiallyoutwardly from the upper margin of said rod and terminating in adownwardly projecting annular flange spaced outwardly a substantialdistance from the outer surface of said rod.

11. In a washing machine, a container, a cover, an agitator plunger, anoperating mechanism including drive means carried by the cover and alongitudinally reciprocable operating rod forming a part of the agitatorand extending through the cover, guide sleeve means on the coverembracing the rod, the reciprocable rod in reciprocating tending tocarry washing medium from the container through the cover, and breathermeans above the level of the washing medium in the container toneutralize the change in rod longitudinally movable through a bushing inthe walls of said chamber, the agitator rod being operable duringreciprocation to carry a film of washing medium along the surfacethereof and exteriorly or said chamber, said machine having incombination therewith a valve means operable to open at pressuresgreater than atmospheric within the chamber for restricting the v flowof washing medium from the chamber.

- 13. A washing machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said vessel isprovided with a valve means normally closed but operative to open atpressures greater than atmospheric within the BERNHART A BENSON.

vessel.

